


when times are good

by saekhwa



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Birthday Party, Established Relationship, M/M, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-04
Updated: 2018-01-04
Packaged: 2019-02-28 09:59:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13269078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saekhwa/pseuds/saekhwa
Summary: You can't justforgetor not even know your partner's birthday. So Ray comes up with a plan.





	when times are good

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shopfront](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopfront/gifts).



Despite being part of a team of legendary, time-traveling (Ray liked to think super) heroes, Ray had figured out that the world was always going to almost end. So he took the time to really enjoy moments like these, where he and Mick cuddled (although he still didn't know _why_ Mick hated that word so much) on the couch, watched some movies, and basked in each other's presence and warmth. Someday, Mick would have a movie preference, but for now, Ray put on an indie film that he'd heard a lot about. 

Unfortunately, being able to stay up for a good forty-eight hours at a time only seemed to apply when he was working on a project. Being sprawled on the couch with Mick had created the perfect conditions for Ray to fully relax and keep nodding off. 

At least he could count on Mick's gruff, "Hey, Haircut," each time Mick poked him awake. 

Ray couldn't help but huff a laugh, torn between sitting up or dragging Mick down to kiss him, but Mick was still a little skittish about public or not-so-public displays of affection. So he gave up and sprawled out, using Mick's thigh as a pillow, hiding his smile when Mick tossed the throw blanket over his shoulders. It was easy to sink down into a light doze, thoughts lingering on Mick, his attention only half on the movie. Up until he was struck with the sudden, cold realization that he didn't know when Mick's birthday was.

~*~

"Are you sure?" Ray asked. "Like absolutely, one-hundred percent—"

"Positive, Mr. Palmer," Gideon said, and displayed Mick's birth certificate, zooming in on the date and circling it in red. 

Ray… probably deserved that. But how could he miss it? How did he _miss Mick's birthday_?

Sara. Ray straightened. Sara would know what to do. 

He rushed out with a quick, "Thanks, Gideon!" Only to rush back in and ask for Sara's location. 

He found Sara in the hall, jogging up to her only to be greeted by an exasperated, "What is it this time?"

"Mick—"

" _Again _?" Sara sighed.__

__"No, not—" Ray shook his head and held up his hands. "Okay, let me start over. More specifically, this is about Mick's birthday. We have to do something. We missed it! And this ship, we're more than a team. We're like family."_ _

__"Ray," Sara said, and brushed past him, continuing her long stride through the corridor. "I think you're making this a bigger deal than it is."_ _

__"I am not. We celebrate a lot of holidays, and Mick's been—" Ray jogged to keep up with her. "We can't just ignore something big like this." He clapped his hands together and rushed ahead to stand in front of Sara and halt her forward progress. "Let's throw him a surprise party!"_ _

__Sara's flat look didn't exactly seem enthusiastic, but Ray was prepared to win her over._ _

__"Come on, Sara. A birthday party is—" He straightened with a grin. "It's good for team morale."_ _

__"Let's see." Sara folded her arms, gaze flicking up to the ceiling. "How do I put this?" She pinned Ray with one of her serious stares. "Do you think _Mick_ is the kind of guy who…" She swirled her hand in the air. "I don't know. _Likes_ surprises?"_ _

__"Of course! Everyone likes surprises. Not the scary kind, obviously, but, you know, birthday surprises are good."_ _

__"Ray," Sara said slowly, arms dropping to her sides, "have you maybe considered that there's a reason he didn't tell you?"_ _

__"Well." Ray shrugged. "It's Mick. He doesn't think anyone cares, but I do. I care. I have to do this."_ _

__~*~_ _

__He didn't win over Sara, but Nate, Amaya, Jax, and Zari were on board to help him out at least._ _

__"I love surprise parties!" Nate said, and then ducked his head, looking around. Probably for Mick, but he wasn't in sight. Ray had made sure of it._ _

__They both grabbed one end of the birthday banner and climbed their short ladders to hang it across the room._ _

__"Are you two…" Amaya opened one of the boxes and pulled out the classic birthday noisemaker. "Sure this is what Mick wants?"_ _

__Zari batted one of the balloons into the air. "Yeah. I haven't been on the ship long, but this sounds like a bad idea."_ _

__"Hate to say it, Ray, but I gotta agree," Jax said, tying off another balloon and tossing it toward Zari. "Mick's the kind of guy who." He shrugged. "You know."_ _

__"Drinks until his liver has shriveled up into its own distillery," Zari said._ _

__Nate laughed but froze when Ray gave him the disapproving look._ _

__"Come on, guys," Ray said. "This'll be something nice. For all of us. Maybe it'll even become a Waverider tradition."_ _

__He grinned at the thought, each of them celebrating each other's birthdays through time. He'd have to ask Gideon to send him calendar reminders._ _

__~*~_ _

__"The hell is this?" Mick asked, eyes narrowed on the streamers and banner, barely fazed by everyone leaping out from their hiding spots, shouting, "Surprise!" (And by everyone, mostly just Ray and Nate.)_ _

__"Happy birthday!" Ray said, hurrying over with a hat. One look from Mick, and he put it on his own head, settling his hands on Mick's arms instead, and squeezing. "Sorry we missed it, but… Better late than never?"_ _

__"You did this?"_ _

__Ray nodded, spinning on his heels to gesture at Nate, who was trying to pretend he hadn't just swiped frosting off the edge of the cake, Amaya, who'd totally caught him, Zari, who was rolling her eyes, and Jax, who was at least getting into the spirit of things by holding up one of the wrapped gifts on the table. "The team helped."_ _

__Sara shook her head and stalked forward, shoving a six-pack into Mick's hands. "Happy birthday, Mick."_ _

__"You shouldn't have," Mick said, cracking open one of the bottles and drinking a third of it before he pulled it away, punctuating his satisfaction with a loud belch. "I mean it. You really shouldn't have. Don't do it again."_ _

__Ray laughed, slinging an arm around Mick's shoulders in a half-hug. He looked up, studying Mick's face for so long and so hard that he almost missed Mick's slight nod._ _

__He glanced around the room and then leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to the corner of Mick's mouth. "Happy birthday, partner," he murmured._ _

__He pulled away, pretending not to notice the way Mick's mouth curled into a half-smile, and tugged him over to the big cake (courtesy of Gideon), covered entirely in unlit candles. He handed Mick his heat gun while everyone retreated to a safe corner._ _

__"If you'll do the honors."_ _

__Mick laughed, low and gruff. "Now it's a party." And set the cake on fire._ _


End file.
